| Postmortem genetic testing recommended for sudden cardiac death families |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Marianne Kennedy |
| Postmortem genetic testing of people who have suffered sudden unexplained death (SUD) is a more effective and cost-efficient means of identifying genetic abnormalities that place surviving relatives at risk of fatal heart rhythm disturbances, a new study presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, US, suggests.... [Read More] |
| New EU rules could boost IVF costs |
| 30 November 2009 - by Nisha Satkunarajah |
| All patients undergoing assisted reproductive treatments may be screened for diseases between each cycle, potentially leading to massive cost implications, under a new interpretation of European Union rules on tissue and cell donation proposed by the European Commission.... [Read More] |
| Gene variant provides clues to mental illness |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Rachael Panizzo |
| Researchers at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, have identified a gene that may be involved in mental illness and maintaining brain health. The scientists compared the genes of 2,000 psychiatric patients and 2,000 healthy people in Scotland. They discovered that the ABCA13 gene was faulty more frequently in patients with severe mental illness - such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression - than in the healthy control group.... [Read More] |
| Gene may have role in protection against bowel cancer |
| 30 November 2009 - by Sarah Pritchard |
| The GSTP gene, which helps to protect the human body from harmful chemicals such as tobacco smoke, may also play a role in protection against the development of bowel cancer, say UK researchers.... [Read More] |
| Stress during infancy could alter gene expression in later life |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Charlotte Maden |
| New research into stress in early life has revealed that it can permanently alter specific genes. The work, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, shows that trauma or stress endured in infancy can cause behavioural changes in later life that may lead to psychological disorders, such as depression.... [Read More] |
| Link between gene variant and brain tumour growth revealed |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Rebecca Robey |
| The link between a certain genetic mutation and the most common form of brain tumour has been unravelled by US scientists. The mutation, in a gene called IDH1, was already known to be associated with the development of brain cancers, but it was not known how the mutation contributed to the disease.... [Read More] |
| Thousands of genomes sequenced to map Han Chinese genetic variation |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Will Fletcher |
| The first genetic historical map of the Han Chinese has been published in the American Journal of Human Genetics by scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS). Based on genome-wide variation in 8,200 individuals, the new map has provided many insights into the evolutionary history and population structure of the Han Chinese which is the largest ethnic population in the world. The map is of great importance as it has helped uncover subtle differences in the genetic ... [Read More] |
| New genetic links to inflammatory bowel disease |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Marianne Kennedy |
| New genetic studies have identified several key genetic regions which could play a role in ulcerative colitus, a common form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). All three studies were reported in Nature Genetics on 15 November.... [Read More] |
| Clinic offers repeat IVF cycle in exchange for lifestyle improvements |
| 30 November 2009 - by Nishat Hyder |
| A central London fertility clinic is offering an IVF treatment package in return for patients signing up to a health and lifestyle improvement programme, which will require patients to stop smoking, drinking, and lose weight if necessary prior to commencing IVF treatment.... [Read More] |
| Loan from potential buyer will save deCODE from liquidation, says founder |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Jay Stone |
| Dr Kari Stefansson, founder of biopharmaceutical company deCODE genetics, has claimed that the company will be able to continue normal services despite announcing bankruptcy last week.... [Read More] |
| Correction: Sperm screening needs to be overhauled |
| 30 November 2009 - by BioNews |
| In BioNews 535, we published a commentary by Wendy Kramer in which she stated that 'using a donor with reciprocal translocations is potentially even more likely to produce sick children than donors with autosomal dominant disorders. The chances for a chromosomally abnormal child are thirty out of thirty-two (Scriven, 1998)'. However, this interpretation is incorrect and potentially misleading, the author of the paper has since informed us.... [Read More] |
| Stem cell hope for healing premature babies' lungs |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Vivienne Raper |
| Stem cells could someday be used to repair the lungs of premature babies, according to the lead researcher on a study using newborn rats... [Read More] |
| World Health Organisation recognises infertility as a disease |
| 30 November 2009 - by Dr Vivienne Raper |
| The World Health Organisation has recognised infertility as a disease in a new international glossary of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) terminology... [Read More] |
